James Gurney

This daily weblog by Dinotopia creator James Gurney is for illustrators, plein-air painters, sketchers, comic artists, animators, art students, and writers. You'll find practical studio tips, insights into the making of the Dinotopia books, and first-hand reports from art schools and museums.

CG Art

Contact

or by email:gurneyjourney (at) gmail.comSorry, I can't give personal art advice or portfolio reviews. If you can, it's best to ask art questions in the blog comments.

Permissions

All images and text are copyright 2015 James Gurney and/or their respective owners. Dinotopia is a registered trademark of James Gurney. For use of text or images in traditional print media or for any commercial licensing rights, please email me for permission.

However, you can quote images or text without asking permission on your educational or non-commercial blog, website, or Facebook page as long as you give me credit and provide a link back. Students and teachers can also quote images or text for their non-commercial school activity. It's also OK to do an artistic copy of my paintings as a study exercise without asking permission.

10 comments:

You really epitomize the approach to life the rest of us envy, the ability top trust people and your own instinct. The results are beautiful, a wonderful record of your chance encounters and moments with real people.And I had no idea about those foliage rules! That makes sense.(PS I've posted page 1 of he robot museum on my blog and I'd love your thoughts, I'm writing quietly because I don't want to advertise on your blog...)Interesting thought about wanting to avoid presenting a story in two mediums that are too close together...

Agreed with Eric, the foliage was great Jim! I myself am trying to study these trees on my excursions lately.I have a question about when you get people to pose for you. What is your usual reaction/answer when people inevitably want to keep the portraits? I.e since they sat for you for free, then they should be entitled to keep the portrait (in their minds of course)

Jeff, as I recall I used a French easel for this one, which wasn't so good because it took up too much space. I also have a homemade thumbbox I've used in tight spaces, but I made it wrong and my thumb kept getting stuck in it. And yes, I sealed the chipboard with matte medium to let the oil float on top and not soak in.

Timpa, so far no one has really expected to own the portrait, and usually it's bound in a sketchbook. But if they like it (which is not always) I offer to email it or send a xerox, and jot down their address on the facing page. When I ask them to pose, I usually say I'm "just learning to draw heads." That lowers their expectations and keeps them from being too self-conscious.

James, thanks for this fantastic website! The time,energy and talent you share with us are much appreciated.

As to the oil sketch portrait: would you please tell us what colors were on your palette - or (I guess, more accruately) which ones you used? Also, what was the sketch and/or underpainting process for this?

Tom, I can't recall the colors offhand. Probably the usual suspects. I started right off drawing with a brush, which you can see around the collar.

Lorna, I'm usually stumped by glasses, and it's amazing how often the challenge comes up in real life, but in art school, models always take their glasses off. I think the key is to understate them, and here I just tried to do a few strokes and show how they changed the contour of the face.

And thanks, Dianne, for the award. That's a real honor, and I appreciate it.